Can I run multiple copies of XP Mode?

rlincolnh · 03 Sep 2009

Hi All,

I've recently put up Win 7 x64 as a clean install. Then I D/L V-PC and XP-Mode, all without problems (it's actually from IE in XP-mode that I am posting this).

I have a couple of questions about XP-mode:

Can I install several XP-mode VMs on my system?
Can I run them simultaneously?
Would I have to D/L each copy of XP-mode individually, or can I clone the copy that I already have? (that D/L was sooooo slow...)

Note that I want to run the multiple copies on the one machine, not on several different machines.

Thanks,

Roger

s0me0ne · 03 Sep 2009

Check out this post
How to Copy a Virtual XP machine

Dont try to convert it to another program like VMware or it changes hardware and wont activate, somebody got it to work but I'm not sure how.

To run multiple vms at the same time you'd need a very good computer and something like vmware server, and you would have to buy XP license(s) since you cant use xpmode's VHD in another vm for free, since it changes the virtual hardware.

DarkXeno · 03 Sep 2009

I dont think you can. I would also advise against it due to the memory needed by each running VM. The next thing is why? Why on earth would you want to slow your machine down that much by running multiple VMs at one time?? I know people do it on servers with VMware and really beefy hardware but Windows 7 and Virutal XP was not designed for that.

Kari · 03 Sep 2009

rlincolnh said:

...
...
Can I install several XP-mode VMs on my system?
Can I run them simultaneously?
Would I have to D/L each copy of XP-mode individually, or can I clone the copy that I already have? (that D/L was sooooo slow...)

Note that I want to run the multiple copies on the one machine, not on several different machines.

Thanks,

Roger

DarkXeno said:

I dont think you can. I would also advise against it due to the memory needed by each running VM....
...

You can copy and run as many Virtual XP's as your system resources allow. Here's the tutorial.

Kari

rlincolnh · 03 Sep 2009

Thanks guys, that's three different takes on my question. I'll have a look at the links you provided.

Regards,

Roger

11goku · 01 Dec 2011

i have a problem i am very sure i did exactly as what u said. when ever i clcik the copy of the vm it says that its not configured and tells me to make a configured file?? please help!!

**cluberti** · 10 Dec 2011

Note you're going to need to have legally licensed each copy of XP you install and activate - XP Mode is only licensed for use on Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate, and only one license per copy of those Windows 7 editions. If you're downloading and using the XP Mode VM, you need to make sure that for each additional copy you run, that you have a legitimate XP license for each additional VM.

ElectricRider · 11 Dec 2011

s0me0ne said:

Check out this post

To run multiple vms at the same time you'd need a very good computer and something like vmware server, and you would have to buy XP license(s) since you cant use xpmode's VHD in another vm for free, since it changes the virtual hardware.

??? Of course you can. The XP Mode VHD is not restreictive to only using it with Microsoft's Virtual PC software (which is very bad software, slow and featureless) Microsoft Virtual PC is ONLY a virtual machine program and while they recommend it, they cannot force you to use it with the XP Mode VHD. You can use the XP Mode VHD with any VM software you can get it to work in.

I run XP Mode using VM Lite. (It's a Free download after joining their forum, also free.) VM Lite was actually designed to run XP Mode as an alternative to Virtual PC. It runs XP mode better and faster with full integration than Virtual PC can.

http://www.vmlite.co/index.php?optio...=47&Itemid=128

VM Lite is based on the open source version of Virtualbox and if you already have Virtual box and don't want to have to install and use two VM's on your system, you can get the VM lite Virtualbox plugin - giving all the features of VM Lite's XP Mode for use with Virtualbox.

If you do not have Virtualbox, forget the plugin and just get the VM Lite XP Mode installer program.

That said, you may run into a legal problem running multiple copies of the XP mode VHD but if you use it for home use and not commercial or any business software, I cannot see Microsoft hauling you into court.. especially when they are stopping all XP support. I say, if your PC can handle it, go for it. Install XP mode using both Virtual PC and VM Lite and have fun finding out that Microsoft's own software runs XP Mode like Crap.

You would not have to download two copies of XP Mode. Just find the XP mode VHD on your hard drive and copy it to another folder for use with VM Lite XP Mode.